Local Community Advertising
You’ll want to sign up for this one early, because spots will fill up quick.
Master carver and artist Darren McKenzie is returning to Okanagan College to share his passion for carving, along with his Indigenous knowledge and culture, with the students.
After people flocked to his initial classes this spring, the course is back and expanded by popular demand.
Sessions will start on Oct. 12.
"The first three sections went really well,” he said. “All the classes were full, and we had a lot of positive feedback, suggestions on how to improve and a lot of students have said they wanted to come back and do more.”
The class will include basic carving techniques for beginners, as well as more challenging projects that may also include things like self-study.
"Once you learn to carve, then the sky's the limit. If a student has an idea for what they want to do, then I am happy to walk them through it," McKenzie explains, adding that “there's no need to have previous artistic knowledge or Indigenous carving experience."
McKenzie is a Cree Métis artist who was born in Regina, SK.
He first embraced art in high school and developed his skills over time, studying commercial art in college, Indian Art History at the University of Regina and illustration and sculpture at the Ontario College of Art.
After moving to Vancouver, he began to learn to carve wood under Salish artist Gerry Sheena, before returning to school and completing a four-year apprenticeship under master carver Ken Mowatt.
The course runs two weekends in October on Friday nights and during the day on Saturdays and Sundays.
You can find more information by clicking this link.
Local Community Advertising